Margaret Findlater or Ower ID 3528 Cadet Early Life: Margaret Findlater was born in Perth on 15 December 1810 to parents James Findlater and Janet McLauchlan. She was the eldest of 12 known children. Her father's occupation was described variously over the years as 'Wright', 'Coal Merchant' and 'Shipowner'. Little is known about her early life though it would appear she received some form of education as she signed her own Declaration to the authorities prior to her trial in 1847,and declared she could read and write when she arrived in VDL. Three of her siblings died very young, the oldest being only 9 years old Marriage and Children: Margaret Findlater married Thomas Ower on 4 November 1834 at Perth. Thomas was described variously over the years as a 'Painter' and 'Glazier' and 'Shop Keeper'. They had three known children, though Margaret declared she only had two when she arrived in VDL. The oldest child was Margaret Ower, born 17 July 1835 and she had a further two children, Thomas born 21 February 1838 and George born 9 July 1839. For whatever reason Margaret Findlater or Ower became estranged from her husband and family. There is no clear trace of Margaret, Thomas or their children in the 1841 census suggesting estrangement happened about that time, and after her youngest son was born in 1839. Convictions: Margaret Findlater or Ower was first convicted for theft on 29 July 1843, sentence thirty days in Perth Prison. Again for theft on 17 October 1844, sentence six months in Perth Prison. She had a further conviction for theft on 21 February 1846, this time for stealing from her mother on two occasions a linen sheet on 7 December 1845 and a printed cotton bed cover on 13 December 1845, sentence ten months in Perth Prison. Her mother was described as a widow. Margaret was in trouble again in 1847, again for theft. On Friday 8 Jan 1847 she was accused of stealing A Wheel- Barrow.. from the door of the stable in South William Street, Perth the property of Janet McLauchlan or Findlater, a widow, [her mother] or Peter Gellatly. Also, on 12 Jan 1847... from the house in Shuttlefield Close, Perth. belonging to John Fisher, carter...a Silver Watch, Brass Watch-Chain, Watch-Key and A Medal. In her Declaration on 13 January 1847, Margaret included the following "... wife of Thomas Ower Painter in Dundee aged 33 years. declares she did not on Friday or Saturday last take a wheel-barrow from a passage in William Street and she had no wheel-barrow in her possession either of these days. she did not yesterday take a silver watch out of Shuttlefield Close or any where else. Signed Margaret Findlater or Ower. She changed her plea and made another declaration on 19 Jan 1847 stating That she took away the wheel-barrow from the lane where her mother lives with the view of getting her mother to take her to her own house or to have her again put in prison because she had been in a state of destitution since she last came out of prison. That on Tuesday night last she took a silver watch out of the house of John Fisher in the Shuttlefield Close with the view of being sent to Prison that she might get meat and work neither which she could get out of Prison and was determined not to go on the streets as a Prostitute". This last is a telling statement. She had stolen on three occasions from her mother and had been shunned by her. What causes a mother to reject her daughter and abandon her into destitution? She carried out the theft of the silver watch to be deliberately imprisoned, her life being better in prison
than on the streets. At her trial on 27 April 1847 Margaret Findlater or Ower was sentenced to 7 years transportation. Life in VDL: Margaret arrived in Hobart on board the ship 'Cadet' on 2 January 1848. Her occupation on arrival was given as 'Housemaid. Laundress'. She served sentences at Cascades, in the cells and under separate treatment, for disobeying orders, insolence and drunkenness and gained her freedom in April 1854. Between August 1867 and August 1873, Margaret spent seven separate periods in Cascades Invalid Depot as a Pauper. In 1875, she was admitted to the Pauper Establishment, New Town where she died on 8 May 1887, aged 78. She was buried in the Pauper Section of Cornelian Bay Cemetery. There is no record of her marrying in VDL. What became of her husband: Its not clear where he or his children were in the 1841 census but by 1851 he was living with his brother George Ower, a glazier employing 7 men, in a prestigious area of Dundee. Thomas' children Margaret and George were also there. George Ower (Margaret Findlater's brother in law) is very interesting. I believe he took his brother, niece and nephew in when they fell on hard times, with Margaret getting into trouble and being transported. George became a man of considerable influence in Dundee and died a millionaire in 1872, leaving an estate of approx 1.16m at today's valuation. He appears to be a self made man, as there is no record of him having inherited money from his parents. One of the trustees of his estate was Charles Thomson Ritchie, Margaret Ower's husband. Was it George who introduced him to his niece and they later married? I have a suspicion it was. Thomas died at the age of 56 in 1866 his cause of death described as 'Alcohol. Exhaustion'. The patient records of Dundee Royal Infirmary state Thomas was an 'Alcoholic' and he'd been in hospital for 6 days before his death. Was alcohol at the root of their marriage problems? What became of her family: Her father James died in 1843. Her mother Janet, who had rejected her, outlived a number of her children, and died in Scone, Perth in 1884 at the age of 86. Margaret's only daughter also Margaret, married Charles Thomson Ritchie on 7 December 1858 in Dundee. He belonged to a successful Merchant family in Dundee, becoming a Member of Parliament, Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer, and was elevated to the peerage in late 1905 becoming 1st Baron Ritchie of Dundee. Margaret died on 10 Feb 1905 and her husband died a year later. Her brother in law James Ritchie became 1st Baronet, Lord Mayor of London from 1903 to 1904. So Margaret Findlater or Ower, convicted thief and transportee, had a grandson, the 2 nd Baron Ritchie of Dundee. The Baronet lineage continues to the present day with her 2 nd great grandson Charles Rupert Rendall Ritchie born in 1958, being the 6 th Baron Ritchie of Dundee. Her brother James appeared to inherit his father's business as he became a 'Shipowner'. He married Jane Robertson in1839. He was sequestrated (declared himself bankrupt to avoid imprisonment due to his debts) in 1841. He was indicted for 'falsehood, fraud and wilful imposition' in 1842 but the case was not called. By 1853 he was working as a Policeman in Glasgow and was charged with
fraud. He was found guilty and imprisoned for 12 months in the General Prison of Perth. He died in 1866 in the Poorhouse, Perth. [The records of the Poorhouse did not survive but the building does, having been converted to quality flats in the past 10/15 years]. His son Robert [Margaret Findlater's nephew] was shipwrecked in January 1842, off the Scottish coast, on board the schooner 'Zealous' of which his father was part owner. All the crew survived. Brother John worked in Kelso in the Scottish Borders. He spent many years working in Glasgow but returned to Scone, Perth where he died in 1909 at the age of 92. His occupation was described on his death certificate as an Accountant. He left a Will and died leaving an estate of approx 195000 at today s valuation. He too appears to be a self made man. I suspect it was he who erected the family headstone see below Two of her brothers died in Australia though I've found no evidence that they were transported, they probably went voluntarily. It is unclear what happened to Margaret Findlater or Ower's son George though he was alive in 1851, living with his father and sister Margaret at his uncle George's home his father's elder brother. Her son Thomas died of Scarlet Fever at age 2, in 1840. Headstone Inscriptions in Greyfriars Cemetery, Perth: There is a large headstone which reads: "In memory of James Findlater, Shipowner, Perth who died 6 Sept 1843 aged 59 and of his son Robert Gordon who died 14 March 1827 aged 2 years. Henry who died 2 Nov 1835 aged 9 years. Also of his daughter Susan who died 9 Feb 1837 aged 3 years. And his sons James, Shipowner, Perth who died 17 Feb 1865 aged 53 years. William, Coach Maker, Birmingham who died 24 Jun 1877 aged 58 years and is interred in General Cemetery there. Also his wife Janet McLauchlan who died 6 June 1884 aged 86 years. And his son Edward, Coach Maker, Birmingham who died 25 Sept 1884 aged 53 years and is interred in Harborn Churchyard. Robert who died at Bowen, Queensland 24 June 1891. Also his daughter Jessie who died at New Scone 5 July 1892 aged 77 years. Also in memory of his son George died Sydney NSW 30 April 1900 aged 79 and his daughter Christian Gordon who died at New Scone 26 Nov 1905 aged 83 years and is interred here" Margaret Findlater is not mentioned, but her brother James also had his problems with the law, yet he is proudly described as 'Shipowner'. All her siblings except John are acknowledged. Whatever the reasons for Margaret's estrangement from her husband, children, parents and siblings, nobody felt the need to acknowledge her existence.
Her husband, Thomas Ower, died in Dundee and is probably buried there, but he is mentioned on his family headstone, though there is no mention of his wife. The inscription reads: "Erected by Elizabeth and Jean Gregor in memory of their husbands. Thomas Ower, Jean's husband died 3 March 1820 aged 38 years. Also Mary James and John, their children who died in infancy. Also their second son Thomas Ower who died 25 Nov 1866 aged 56 years. Also the above Jean Gregor or Ower who died 25 October 1868 aged 81 years. George Miln, Elizabeth's husband who died 6 May 1827 aged 56 years. Their son George who died in infancy. Margaret Susan their daughter who died 1 March 1857. Widow Elizabeth Miln died 20 July 1859 aged 74 years and their daughter Jane died 27 December 1867" Sources: 1.http://familysearch.org (for birth and marriage details pre-1855 Scotland) 2. Documents refs AD/14/47/82 and JC26/1847/46 at National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Also Dundee, Perth, & Cupar Advertiser April 30, 1847 (for trial and convictions) 3. Statutory Death 1866 doc ref 282/02 1248 (for death of Thomas Ower and confirmation of his wife as Margaret Findlater) 4. Statutory Marriage 1858 doc ref 282/01 0342 and The Dundee Courier Wednesday December 8, 1858 (for marriage of Margaret Ower to Charles Thomson Ritchie and confirmation of her parents) 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/baron_ritchie_of_dundee 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ritchie_baronets 7. Memorial Inscriptions North Perthshire (pre-1855) by Mitchell, and photos following visit to
Graveyard)